Wandering Toddler Leads to Mom’s Arrest

UPDATE A Westport mother has a date in court next week on risk of injury to a child charges after her 2-year-old daughter was seen wandering in the street in light clothing in frigid temperatures.

Police said Tinatin Crouch, 43, was charged on Saturday after neighbors spotted the child on Murvon Court wearing only a long-sleeved t-shirt and adult slippers, police said. The child was brought to the Westport Police Department where her mother came to pick up the girl.

Police said they later learned that the mother had left both her children, ages 15 and 2, at home when she went shopping. The toddler, who had been sleeping, wandered out when her sibling fell asleep, police said.

In explaining the charge, police said that the mother left knowing the 15-year-old was asleep and sick. Crouch was released on $500 bond and is scheduled to appear Feb. 5 in Norwalk Superior Court.

I am so glad that the child was not harmed from this incident but I have a hard time understanding how the mother can be charged with a crime. I was baby-sitting my younger siblings and neighborhood children starting at age 13 yrs, the mother should have expected her 15 yr. to be able to handle the responsibilities of watching the 2 yrs. for a few hours. That is not parental neglect. I also have a big problem with the neighbor who thought it was easier and more appropriate to call the police instead of reaching out to the wandering child’s family first. Making a few phone calls or knocking on the door would have better a kinder and reasonable solution. What ever happened to honest mistakes can be made by even the most conscisious caregiver and forgiven without the police being involved? What ever happened to neighbors look out for each other???